Equipo de Salud de Trenton (THT) y Isles, Inc. announced a combined investment of nearly $2.3 million in Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit (NRTC) grants from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA), awarded on behalf of Governor Mikie Sherrill y DCA Commissioner Jacquelyn A. Suárez.
The funding will support revitalization work across three Trenton neighborhoods: Isles’ Downtown Trenton program receives $800,000; the East Trenton Collaborative (ETC), a program of Isles, receives $800,000 for East Trenton; and Trenton Health Team receives $688,493 for the North Trenton/Battle Monument area.
The three organizations coordinated their grant applications to ensure each secured vital NRTC funding, collectively increasing total investment in Trenton from $2 million to nearly $2.3 million.
Trenton Health Team: Strengthening North Trenton
THT’s $688,493 award will support community development in the North Trenton/Battle Monument area, roughly bounded by Calhoun Street to the west, Pennington Avenue to the south, Route 1 to the east, and Capital Health Regional Medical Center to the north. Programs include financial counseling and down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers, home repair support, financial guidance for homeowners, and skill-building for local business owners and entrepreneurs.
This work builds on nearly a decade of THT investment in the area, including improvements to the intersection of Brunswick Avenue and Southard Street, participation in the North Trenton/Battle Monument Choice Neighborhoods steering committee, and delivery of small business and family supports through Capital Health’s Iniciativa Vecinal de Trenton.
“The momentum for progress in North Trenton is driven by its residents, and THT is proud to be a dedicated partner in their ongoing work,” said Alix Fellman, Director of Community Development at THT. “This critical NRTC funding allows us to continue to deliver the services the community has asked for, which strengthens our collaborative efforts with local partners to realize their vision.” Together, Isles and THT bring decades of NRTC-funded experience to Trenton’s neighborhoods, partnering with residents, businesses, artists, and community organizations to advance revitalization that is equitable, inclusive, and community-driven.
Isles: Revitalizing Downtown Trenton
Isles’ $800,000 Downtown Trenton award supports a comprehensive revitalization strategy centered around the commercial corridor on S. Warren Street and State Street and the Mill Hill Park neighborhood. Isles’ work is guided by a community vision for Downtown to become “a dynamic economic, social, and cultural hub that meets the needs of all residents, commuters, and visitors through safe, affordable and healthy housing, and engaging recreational and entertainment opportunities.”
Funded initiatives include the development of 15 units of affordable housing on vacant lots — including a three-unit building on Montgomery Street that will mark the first new residential construction in the neighborhood in more than a decade — and home improvement grants of up to $10,000 to help property owners preserve the historic character of their homes. Isles will also provide free indoor air quality sensors to downtown residents in coordination with its Lead & Healthy Homes Initiative.
On the economic development front, Isles will continue to provide small business grants to downtown minority- and locally-owned businesses, which will include physical improvements like signage upgrades and facade repairs, and small business mentorship. Funds will also support the continued redevelopment of 120 E. State St., a historic Presbyterian church complex with Revolutionary War-era roots being transformed into a community and performing arts hub. The New Jersey Economic Development Authority recently approved a $12 million Historic Property Reinvestment Program tax credit award for the project, building on more than $6 million in prior preservation funding.
NRTC will support local artists and creative businesses as part of the Creek to Canal (C2C) Creative District, including the monthly Capital City Open Mic at Classics Books, art studio stipends at Hanover Creative (a recently opened creative makerspace on Hanover Street), Creative Network Grants to local artists, and additional programs/events throughout the year. Funds will continue to empower grassroots efforts, including support for community small grants, distributed through I Am Trenton Community Foundation, and resident outreach and organizing through nonprofit HelpSelf.
“This NRTC funding is essential to our ability to build on the real momentum we’re seeing in Downtown Trenton,” said Jason Allen, Managing Director at Isles. “New housing is coming online, businesses are growing, and residents are invested in their neighborhood. With these resources, we can keep that progress moving forward in a way that works for the people who live here.”
East Trenton Collaborative: Building Community in East Trenton
El directorio East Trenton Collaborative, a program of Isles operating out of the East Trenton Center at 601 N. Clinton Ave., will use its $800,000 award to advance revitalization across five program areas. A resident-driven home repair program will assist low- and moderate-income owneroccupants with critical health and safety repairs, building on ETC’s track record of completing repairs on more than 142 neighborhood properties; at least 50% of the repair work will be performed by local microenterprise contractors.
ETC’s Youth Employment Program will provide paid internships to eight East Trenton youth ages 14 to 20, placing them with local nonprofits and microenterprises and pairing employment with educational and civic enrichment activities. Since 2017, the program has served more than 170 young people from the neighborhood.
Workforce and entrepreneur support will include individual business coaching and access to UEZ resources for five neighborhood businesses, as well as certification courses, language learning, and technology training for residents seeking to increase their employability. NRTC funding will also support facility upgrades at the East Trenton Center to expand capacity for these and future programs.
Community organizing and programming — including monthly resident meetings, issue-based committees, beautification projects, and a slate of community events — remains at the core of ETC’s work, alongside a new Welcome Package initiative for new residents and continued environmental justice advocacy.
“East Trenton residents have always been the driving force behind everything we do, and this funding lets us keep delivering the programs they’ve asked for,” said Caitlin Fair, ETC Program Director. “From fixing up homes to putting young people to work to strengthening local businesses, these investments go right back into the neighborhood and the people who call it home.”
Sobre el equipo de salud de Trenton
Trenton Health Team is a non-profit dedicated to improving health and well-being in the community of greater Trenton, New Jersey. Their work for a healthy Trenton focuses on community care, community partnerships, and data & research. For more information, visit trentonhealthteam.org.
About Isles, Inc.
Isles, Inc. is a Trenton-based nonprofit community development and environmental health organization with a 45-year history of building healthy families and communities. Rooted in Trenton with statewide reach, Isles offers interconnected services across housing, workforce development, environmental health, youth development, and neighborhood revitalization. For more information, visit www.isles.org.
About East Trenton Collaborative
East Trenton Collaborative (ETC) is a program of Isles, Inc. that has served as the backbone organization for neighborhood revitalization in East Trenton for nearly two decades. Operating out of the East Trenton Center at 601 N. Clinton Ave., ETC works alongside residents to improve housing, create economic opportunity, engage youth, and build a strong, organized community. For more information, visit www.isles.org.